Rural students let down by university access

Regional and rural students struggling to access university may be further disadvantaged by proposed changes to fees and student loans in the federal budget.

Key changes to tertiary education would see the removal of a cap on tuition fees, which would give a university the licence to charge students at its discretion and an increase on the interest on student loans.

University of Western Australia politics and agriculture student Lachlan Hunter says regional students already struggle to access university.

He is also the UWA Nationals party student president.

Mr Hunter, 18, has studied part time for the past year while working so that he could qualify as an independent from his parents and receive financial assistance.

"Graduating with a high level of debt that is the same as our metropolitan counterparts, we're all missing out on that fundamental right to education," he says.

Mr Hunter says allowing universities to charge more for tuition disadvantages all students, but has the capacity to discourage regional and rural students from attending university altogether.

"Why should one individual miss out on that education just because of their postcode or their parent's bank account," he says.

Manjimup Senior High School student Jonty Kammann is in Year 12 and is concerned about he is going to get to university next year, regardless of the proposed changes to tuition.

Mr Kammann says his parents cannot afford to fund a move to Perth to attend university.

He says taking the 18-month gap-period living independently to qualify for financial assistance is not appealing.

"If I wait two years, I may as well start something else and keep on going with that I suppose," he says.

Mr Kammann says he is relying on earning a scholarship to pursue study in science.